Insulator



Patented -.lune 2, 1931 UNETED STATES HAROLD C. EDDY, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNI, ASSIGNOR TO PETROLEUM RECTIFZ- CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION 0F CALIFORNIA Y ING COMPANY OFJ PTENr oil-Fica INSULATOR Application led March 22, 1924. Serial No. 701,059.

rlhis invention relates to insulators such as those employed on electricalk dehydrators.

Dehydrators are used extensively in the oil refining industry, these dehydrators generally comprising a shell or tank in which the electrodes are mounted, one set thereof being insulated from thetank and the other set often having electrical contact therewith. One wire of the electrical circuit may be connected to the tank, supplying current to the electrodes in contact therewith, the other wire being connected to the other set of electrodes. The insulator to which my invention relates may be used to conduct` current to the interior of a dehydrating or other tank.

An oil emulsion to be treated may contain considerable water, and theatmosphere in the upper part of the tank may become quite humid.4 The moisture often collects on the body of the insulator, which has beenmade either from porcelain or from other insulating material, forming conducting paths and establishing an electrical current over the surface of the body. This current has been found unduly to heat the body member; and, if this member be formed of porcelain, it will ltend to expand and crack; and if it be of a material capable of being carbonized such carbonization may result in an increasingl flow of current. In either case, insulators may be destroyed, current wasted, and serious fire risks incurred; and it is a primary object of my invention to provide an insulating and conducting organization which will avoid the above disadvantages.

Further objectsvof the invention and speciic advantages thereof will be made evident hereinafter.

Referring to the drawings which are forillustrative purposes only,

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through an insulator embodying the features of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan View of Fig. l. l

I Fig.v 3 is a section taken on a plane represented by the line 3 '3 of Fig. 1.

As shown in the drawings, my invention provides an outer insulator body 11, as shown n Fig. 1 which is made from an insulating lower end l5 thereof extends slightly through the opening 16 in the tank 12. LSeated within a longitudinal socket 17 and extending downwardly from an'intermediate point in the body 11, and along the aXis thereof, is shown an inner insulator member in the form of a tube 18. rlhis tube is preferably made from quartz, which has advantages including the following it has high dielectric properties; its thermal expansion is so low that it is ,not liable to crack by reason of heating; and it cannot carbonize. ln other words, quartz has all the desirable qualities of an insulator except mechanical strength,-the lack of` which implies that it cannot be exposed or clamped as porcelain and certain organic materials can.

Extending through aligned passages in the body 11 and tube 18 is shown a conductor rod structure, which may serve incidentally to retain the tube 18, whether or not the latter is cast directly within the body 11, against dropping, in case' it becomes loose therein. This structure is illustrated as comprising a conductor 20' having nuts threaded on the oppoelectricity will be much more than in the case of the ordinary insulator; and,` because the tube 18 can, w1thout appreciable deterioraloo.

to become established thereover.

tends into the body 11 enough to prevent ashort-circuit and the rod 18 will retain the parts in their intended relationship.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that by utilizing the qualities of both the porcelain (or bakelite) and the quartz, I am able to provide an insulating or an insulating and conducting organization which will be practically indestructible by the occasional passage of electricity over the surface thereof.

Although I have herein described one complete embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that various features thereof might be independently employed, and also that various modifications might be made by those skilled in the art to which this case relates, without the slightest departure from the spirit and scope of my invention, as the same is indicated above and in the following claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A device for conducting an electric current through a conducting wall of a tank without electrical contact therewith comprising: an organic body of high dielectric and mechanical strength secured in an opening in said wall; a nonorganic member formed of relatively brittle insulating material secured in said body; and a conductor rod structure passing through both said body and said member and holding said body and said member together, said non-organic member extending into said tank a suflicient distance to prevent any danger of short-circuiting between the inner end of said conductor rod structure and that portion of said tank in which said organic body is secured.

2. A device for conducting an electric current through a conducting wall of a tank wihout electrical contact therewith comprising: an organic body of high dielectric and mechanical strength 4secured in an opening in said wall; a nonorganic member formed of quartz secured in-said body; and a consaid tank in which said organic body is secured.

3. A device for conducting an electric current through a conducting wall of a tank without electrical contact herewith comprising: an organic body of high dielectric and mechanical strength secured in an opening in said wall, said body having a longitudinal socket therein extending only partially through said body; a non-organic member formed of insulating material and having one endiin said socket and the -other end projecting a substantial distance beyond said wall of said tank and into said tank, there being aligned passages through said body and said member, said non-organic member extending into said tank a suiiicient distance to prevent anydanger of short-circuiting between the inner end of said conductorand that portion of said tank in which said organic body is secured; and a conductor passing through 'said aligned openings.

fl. A device for conducting an electric current through a conducting wall'of a tank without electrical contact therewith comprising: an organic body of highV dielectric and mechanical strength securedin an opening in said wall, said body having a longitudinal socket therein extending only partially through said body; a. non-organic member formed `of insulating material and having one end in said socket and the other end projecting a substantial distance beyond said wall of said tank and into said tank, there being aligned passages through said body and said member, said non-organic member extending into said tank a .suiiicient distance to prevent any danger of short-circuiting between the inner end of said conductor and that portion of said tank in which said organic body is secured; a conductor passing through said aligned openings; and means on said conductor for holding said member in said socket. v

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 17th day of March, 1924.

HAROLD C. EDDY.

ductor rod structure passing through both said body and said member and holding said bodyand, said member together, said nonorganic member extending into said tank a sufficient distance to prevent any danger of v short-circuiting between the inner end of said conductor rod structure and that portion of 

